470 - Super Small Symbionts Soothe Symptoms

Tiny symbiont Saccharibacteria (yellow-green)
on host bacteria (red)
By Utter et al.,
CC BY-SA 4.0

This episode: Tiny bacteria that live on larger bacteria reduce the inflammation and gum disease the bigger microbes cause in the mouths of mice!

Download Episode (6.3 MB, 9.2 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Actinomadura viridilutea

Takeaways

Even bacteria can be hosts to smaller symbionts living on them. Some kinds of these extremely tiny bacteria live in various parts of our bodies, and are sometimes associated with inflammation and the resulting disease. But being associated with something isn't necessarily the same as causing that thing.

In this study, tiny bacteria living on other bacteria in the mouths of mice were found to reduce the inflammation caused by their bacterial hosts, resulting in less gum disease and bone loss in the jaw. Even when the tiny bacteria were no longer present, their former bacterial hosts were still less disruptive to the mouse mouth.

Journal Paper:
Chipashvili O, Utter DR, Bedree JK, Ma Y, Schulte F, Mascarin G, Alayyoubi Y, Chouhan D, Hardt M, Bidlack F, Hasturk H, He X, McLean JS, Bor B. 2021. Episymbiotic Saccharibacteria suppresses gingival inflammation and bone loss in mice through host bacterial modulation. Cell Host Microbe 29:1649-1662.e7.

Other interesting stories:

• Anti-tumor bacteria: engineered E. coli colonizes tumors and attracts immune response
• Cats have skin bacteria that could inhibit drug resistant pathogens

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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446 - Biofilm Benefits Bone Braces

Biofilm-coated implant
By Tan et al. 2020,
Sci Adv 6:eaba5723
CC BY-NC 4.0

This episode: The biofilm that probiotic bacteria can leave behind on a titanium implant seems to help it integrate better with the existing skeleton, with less inflammation and risk of infection!

Download Episode (5.5 MB, 7.9 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Methylobacterium organophilum

News item

Takeaways

Skeletal implants make it a lot easier for many people to stay mobile as they age, but the surgical procedure of implanting is risky. Its invasive nature puts stress on the immune system, which puts stress on other systems, and the spread of antibiotic resistance is increasing the risk of a hard-to-treat infection.

In this study, probiotic bacteria grow in a biofilm on titanium implants before being inactivated, leaving only the biofilm behind on the implant. This biofilm-coated implant showed improved bone integration, antimicrobial resistance that was not toxic to the body's own tissues, and reduced inflammation when implanted into rats.

Journal Paper:
Tan L, Fu J, Feng F, Liu X, Cui Z, Li B, Han Y, Zheng Y, Yeung KWK, Li Z, Zhu S, Liang Y, Feng X, Wang X, Wu S. 2020. Engineered probiotics biofilm enhances osseointegration via immunoregulation and anti-infection. Sci Adv 6:eaba5723.

Other interesting stories:

• Certain gut microbes correlate with lower risk from norovirus (paper)
• Mixture of microbes similar to kombucha engineered to produce living functional materials

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444 - Strange Sequence Stops Cell Subjugation

T4 Bacteriophage
By Victoramuse,
CC BY-SA 4.0

This episode: An interesting bacterial genetic element protects against viruses in a unique way!

Download Episode (7.1 MB, 10.3 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Mongoose associated gemykibivirus 1

News item

Takeaways

Even single-celled, microscopic organisms such as bacteria have to deal with deadly viruses infecting them. And while they don't have an immune system with antibodies and macrophages like we do, they still have defenses against infection, mostly based on sensing and destroying viral genomes. Restriction enzymes cut viral genomes at specific places, and CRISPR/Cas targets and destroys specific viral sequences. Knowing this, when microbiologists contemplate a strange genetic element of unknown function in bacteria, it's worth considering that it may be relevant to defense against phages.

The strange element in this case is retrons: a special reverse transcriptase enzyme takes a short non-coding RNA transcript and transcribes it into DNA, then links the RNA and DNA sequences together. These retrons are found in a variety of forms in a variety of microbes, and their function has been unknown up till now. In this study, one specific retron was found to defend bacteria against a number of phages. By comparing viruses, they discovered that this retron functions by sensing viruses' attempts to defeat another bacterial defense, a sort of second level of defenses. How common such a system is, what variants may exist, and how we may be able to use it for research or biotech purposes remain to be determined.

Journal Paper:
>Millman A, Bernheim A, Stokar-Avihail A, Fedorenko T, Voichek M, Leavitt A, Oppenheimer-Shaanan Y, Sorek R. 2020. Bacterial Retrons Function In Anti-Phage Defense. Cell 183:1551-1561.e12.

Other interesting stories:

• Bacteria can make biodegradable plastics from waste sludge

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443 - Gut Group Gives Gamma Guard

Lachnospiraceae
By Public Health Image Library
Attribution

This episode: Certain gut microbes protect mice from harmful effects of high-energy radiation!

Download Episode (7.3 MB, 10.6 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Solenopsis invicta virus-1

News item

Takeaways

High-energy radiation can be very dangerous. Besides a long-term increased risk of cancer due to DNA damage, a high enough dose of radiation can cause lethal damage to multiple systems in the body, especially the gastrointestinal tract and the immune system. Finding new ways to treat or prevent damage from radiation would be very helpful for improving the safety of space travel, nuclear energy, and radiotherapy for cancer.

In this study, some mice exposed to a typically lethal dose of radiation survived without ill effects, thanks to certain microbes in their gut. Transferring these microbes to other mice helped those mice survive radiation as well, and even just the metabolites that the bacteria produced were helpful for protecting the cells in the body most affected by radiation.

Journal Paper:
Guo H, Chou W-C, Lai Y, Liang K, Tam JW, Brickey WJ, Chen L, Montgomery ND, Li X, Bohannon LM, Sung AD, Chao NJ, Peled JU, Gomes ALC, van den Brink MRM, French MJ, Macintyre AN, Sempowski GD, Tan X, Sartor RB, Lu K, Ting JPY. 2020. Multi-omics analyses of radiation survivors identify radioprotective microbes and metabolites. Science 370:eaay9097.

Other interesting stories:

• Algae incorporated into 3D-printed human tissues for research can provide oxygen for cells
• Bacteria in sea squirts produce potentially useful antifungal compound

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435 - Invader Introducing Infrared Invokes Immunity

Mouse with darkened tumor
By Yi et al. 2020,
Sci Adv 6:eaba3546
CC BY-NC 4.0

This episode: Combining Salmonella with something called photoimmunotherapy to attack tumors in multiple ways!

Download Episode (8.2 MB, 11.9 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Shimwellia blattae

Takeaways

Distinguishing healthy from unhealthy tissue is one of the big challenges when dealing with cancer. Since cancer is derived from healthy tissue, there are many similarities between them that make it hard to target it specifically. This is especially important when cancer is spread in multiple places throughout the body, as opposed to a single tumor that can be removed locally.

In this study, bacteria modified to make them safer were injected into mice with tumors. The bacteria alone were capable of doing some damage to the tumors, and this damage happened to make the tumors darker. Using this color change, the scientists targeted the tumors with lasers to heat them up and kill them in an isolated manner. This had the added benefit of inducing an immune response against the cancer that could target it throughout the body.

Journal Paper:
Yi X, Zhou H, Chao Y, Xiong S, Zhong J, Chai Z, Yang K, Liu Z. 2020. Bacteria-triggered tumor-specific thrombosis to enable potent photothermal immunotherapy of cancer. Science Advances 6:eaba3546.

Other interesting stories:

• Bacteria could help make nylon more sustainably
• Glowing bacteria living in nematodes that kill insects may also interact with and protect plant roots (paper)

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BacterioFiles 402 - Microbe Membranes Mobilize Microglia

Microglia in rat brain tissue

This episode: Gut microbes can stimulate immune cells in mouse brains to fight off viral infections!

Download Episode (9.0 MB, 13.0 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Streptoverticillium mobaraense

News item

Takeaways
The central nervous system, including the brain, is a protected area of the body. Pathogens that get in can do a lot of damage, including memory loss, paralysis, and death, so there's a strict barrier in healthy people that keeps most things out of this area: the blood-brain barrier. The immune system is also kept separate, so special cells called microglia do the patrolling and protection of the brain.

Nevertheless, microbes in the gut can influence the function of the immune system in the brain, even from a distance. In this study, mice lacking gut microbes did not have as effective an immune response to a virus infecting the brain, and it was found that molecules from bacterial outer membranes were sensed by microglia to activate their defensive response.

Journal Paper:
Brown DG, Soto R, Yandamuri S, Stone C, Dickey L, Gomes-Neto JC, Pastuzyn ED, Bell R, Petersen C, Buhrke K, Fujinami RS, O’Connell RM, Stephens WZ, Shepherd JD, Lane TE, Round JL. 2019. The microbiota protects from viral-induced neurologic damage through microglia-intrinsic TLR signaling. eLife 8:e47117.

Other interesting stories:

• Certain microbes associated with slower progression of degenerative disease in mice
• Fungus produces compound that neutralizes skunk odor

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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BacterioFiles 396 - Bacteria Boost Blood Bank Budgets

Red blood cells

This episode: Bacterial enzymes could convert donated blood to be compatible with more people in need!

Download Episode (8.0 MB, 11.7 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Cucumber leaf spot virus

News item

Takeaways
Blood transfusions using donated blood save many lives. Unfortunately, most donations can't be given to just anyone that needs blood; there must be a match in blood type between donor and recipient, or else a life-threatening reaction could occur in the recipient's body. So type A can't donate to type B, or vice versa, but type O is compatible with the other types.

In this study, bacterial enzymes found in human gut microbes have the ability to cleave off the unique type A and B sugars on the surface of red blood cells. This could allow the conversion of all donated blood to type O, greatly increasing the blood bank supply, but more testing is needed to develop the process.

Journal Paper:
Rahfeld P, Sim L, Moon H, Constantinescu I, Morgan-Lang C, Hallam SJ, Kizhakkedathu JN, Withers SG. 2019. An enzymatic pathway in the human gut microbiome that converts A to universal O type blood. Nat Microbiol 4:1475–1485.

Other interesting stories:

• Interesting new protist has novel swimming stroke
• Quantum dot-microbe hybrids power conversion of carbon dioxide to useful stuff

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BacterioFiles 393 - Prokaryote Partner Prevents Pathogen Potency

Acanthamoeba
By J Lorenzo-Morales et al. (2015).
Parasite 22: 10, CC BY 4.0

This episode: Bacterial symbionts of amoebas help them survive bacterial infection, and prevent pathogens from spreading to others as much!

Download Episode (7.5 MB, 8.1 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Eubacterium dolichum

News item

Takeaways
Amoebas are free-living, single-celled organisms, but they have some things in common with some cells of our immune system (macrophages). For example, certain bacterial pathogens can infect both in similar ways. So it can be useful to study the interactions of amoebas and bacteria to learn about our own immune defenses.

In this study, the amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii has another bacterial symbiont that helps it resist killing by the bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila. Once the amoebas recovered from the infection, they were more resistant to future challenges. Even better, the symbiont prevented the pathogen from transforming into a more spreadable form like it does when infecting amoebas alone.

Journal Paper:
König L, Wentrup C, Schulz F, Wascher F, Escola S, Swanson MS, Buchrieser C, Horn M. 2019. Symbiont-Mediated Defense against Legionella pneumophila in Amoebae. mBio 10:e00333-19.

Other interesting stories:

• RNA-cutting CRISPR/Cas system induces bacterial dormancy to prevent phage replication
• Gut bacteria degrade/modify many different kinds of drugs (paper)

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BacterioFiles 392 - Magnetic Microbes Maneuver Marine Manager

Calkinsia aureus
By djpmapleferryman
Uploaded by Shureg, CC BY 2.0

This episode: A marine protist can orient itself along magnetic fields thanks to bacterial symbionts on its surface that make magnetic nanoparticles!

Download Episode (7.2 MB, 7.9 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Chlorocebus pygerythrus polyomavirus 3

Takeaways
Various kinds of bacteria can orient their movement along a magnetic field. These are called magnetotactic, and they use this ability to swim toward or away from the surface of their aquatic habitat, to adjust their oxygen exposure according to their preference.

No eukaryotic microbes have yet been discovered that can sense and react to magnetic fields like these prokaryotes. In this study, however, a protist was discovered that can do it via its partnership with ectosymbionts, or bacteria attached to its surface, that sense magnetism and orient their host's movement. In return, factors of the host's metabolism may feed its symbionts.

Journal Paper:
Monteil CL, Vallenet D, Menguy N, Benzerara K, Barbe V, Fouteau S, Cruaud C, Floriani M, Viollier E, Adryanczyk G, Leonhardt N, Faivre D, Pignol D, López-García P, Weld RJ, Lefevre CT. 2019. Ectosymbiotic bacteria at the origin of magnetoreception in a marine protist. Nat Microbiol 4:1088–1095.

Other interesting stories:

• Fungus infects mosquitoes and quickly kills them with engineered toxin
• Nose microbe helps mediate immune response to flu virus, in mouse study (paper)

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BacterioFiles 384 - Moss Materials Modify Microbiota

Moss with fungi

This episode: Contact with soil materials and moss causes significant, though short-term, changes in the skin microbiota!

Thanks to Dr. Mira Grönroos for her contribution!

Download Episode (7.1 MB, 7.75 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Leonurus mosaic virus

Takeaways
Exposure to microbes throughout life is thought to help calibrate the immune system to some extent, reducing the risk of allergies and asthma without losing defense against pathogens. In this study, rubbing soil or packets of moss on the skin changed the composition of the skin microbiota temporarily, so this may be a way to help with this important type of exposure, but it is not yet known how to achieve optimal long-term effects.

Journal Paper:
Grönroos M, Parajuli A, Laitinen OH, Roslund MI, Vari HK, Hyöty H, Puhakka R, Sinkkonen A. 2019. Short-term direct contact with soil and plant materials leads to an immediate increase in diversity of skin microbiota. MicrobiologyOpen 8:e00645.

Other interesting stories:

• Cadmium-resistant microbes can help plants take up more cadmium to clean up soil (paper)
• Plant symbionts acquired genes that turned them into insect pathogens (paper)

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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BacterioFiles 375 - Prepared Pathogen Preserves Perception

This episode: A cancer-killing virus could help increase success of treatment of a form of eye cancer in children!

Download Episode (8.0 MB, 8.7 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus

News item

Takeaways
Cancer obviously is a serious concern, and can be tricky to treat because there are endless varieties in all different places in the body, each of which can have its own expected progression, aggressiveness, and methods of treatment to take into account.

Even more serious is when the cancer is in very young children, as is often the case with a cancer of the eye called retinoblastoma. There are about 8000 cases of this disease per year, and when treatment is unsuccessful, it can lead to the loss of one or both eyes.

In this study, investigators looked into using a cancer-targeting, oncolytic virus to complement the normal treatment of chemotherapy. The virus for the most part remained localized to the eye where it should be, and targeted the cancer instead of healthy cells, and so seems promising. In the small trial with two patients included in this study, the virus didn't cause a complete recovery, but showed some modest promising results.

Journal Paper:
Pascual-Pasto G, Bazan-Peregrino M, Olaciregui NG, Restrepo-Perdomo CA, Mato-Berciano A, Ottaviani D, Weber K, Correa G, Paco S, Vila-Ubach M, Cuadrado-Vilanova M, Castillo-Ecija H, Botteri G, Garcia-Gerique L, Moreno-Gilabert H, Gimenez-Alejandre M, Alonso-Lopez P, Farrera-Sal M, Torres-Manjon S, Ramos-Lozano D, Moreno R, Aerts I, Doz F, Cassoux N, Chapeaublanc E, Torrebadell M, Roldan M, König A, Suñol M, Claverol J, Lavarino C, De TC, Fu L, Radvanyi F, Munier FL, Catalá-Mora J, Mora J, Alemany R, Cascalló M, Chantada GL, Carcaboso AM. 2019. Therapeutic targeting of the RB1 pathway in retinoblastoma with the oncolytic adenovirus VCN-01. Sci Transl Med 11:eaat9321.

Other interesting stories:

• Exploring how microbes can influence the flavor of coffee

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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BacterioFiles 353 - Pathogen Prevents Pathogen Pervasion

Streptococcus (green) and
Staphylococcus (red)
together in biofilm.
By: Reddinger et al, 2018, mBio

This episode: Some bacteria that can cause pneumonia can prevent other bacteria from doing the same!

Download Episode (9.6 MB, 10.5 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Bell pepper mottle virus

Journal Paper:
Reddinger RM, Luke-Marshall NR, Sauberan SL, Hakansson AP, Campagnari AA. 2018. Streptococcus pneumoniae Modulates Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Dispersion and the Transition from Colonization to Invasive Disease. mBio 9:e02089-17.

Other interesting stories:

• Trying to get plants and beneficial microbes to work together better
• Unusual strain of corn cultivates bacteria that fix nitrogen for it
• Cool protozoan has super speedy body contraction

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Episode outline:

BacterioFiles 347 - Adenovirus Adapter Allows Assignment

Virus and shielded virus
Schmid et al, 2018, Nat Commun

This episode: Adding adapters to anti-cancer virus helps it avoid destruction by the body so it can target the tumors!

Thanks to Dr. Andreas Plückthun for his contribution!

Download Episode (7.8 MB, 8.5 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Tomato leaf curl Vietnam virus

News item

Journal Paper:
Schmid M, Ernst P, Honegger A, Suomalainen M, Zimmermann M, Braun L, Stauffer S, Thom C, Dreier B, Eibauer M, Kipar A, Vogel V, Greber UF, Medalia O, Plückthun A. 2018. Adenoviral vector with shield and adapter increases tumor specificity and escapes liver and immune control. Nat Commun 9:450.

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Episode outline:

BacterioFiles 344 - Bacteriophages Bypass Body Barriers

Cell culture setup
Nguyen et al, 2017,
mBio 8:e01874-17

This episode: Phages may be passing through the barriers in our body all the time!

Thanks to Dr. Jeremy Barr for his contribution!
Download Episode (13.2 MB, 14.5 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Rhodobacter virus RcCronus

News item

Journal Paper:
Nguyen S, Baker K, Padman BS, Patwa R, Dunstan RA, Weston TA, Schlosser K, Bailey B, Lithgow T, Lazarou M, Luque A, Rohwer F, Blumberg RS, Barr JJ. 2017. Bacteriophage Transcytosis Provides a Mechanism To Cross Epithelial Cell Layers. mBio 8:e01874-17.

Other interesting stories:

Yeast species uses same codon for two different amino acids (paper)

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Episode outline:

BacterioFiles 341 - Cancer Killer Could Cure Cryptic Contagion

HIV particles on infected cell
By Liza Gross,
PLOS Biology 2006, e445
CC BY 2.5

This episode: A virus designed to target cancer could also help eliminate hidden HIV infections!

Thanks to Nischal Ranganath for his contribution!

Download Episode (8.7 MB, 9.5 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Streptomyces pluricolorescens

News item

Journal Paper:
Ranganath N, Sandstrom TS, Schinkel B, C S, Côté SC, Angel JB. 2018. The Oncolytic Virus MG1 Targets and Eliminates Cells Latently Infected With HIV-1: Implications for an HIV Cure. J Infect Dis 217:721–730.

Other interesting stories:

Gut microbes could affect immune defense against liver cancer

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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Episode outline:

BacterioFiles 338 - Maverick Mouse Microbes Mitigate Maladies

House mouse,
Mus musculus domesticus

This episode: Gut microbe transplants from wild mice protect lab mice from disease!

Download Episode (9.8 MB, 10.7 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Cabassou virus

News item

Journal Paper:
Rosshart SP, Vassallo BG, Angeletti D, Hutchinson DS, Morgan AP, Takeda K, Hickman HD, McCulloch JA, Badger JH, Ajami NJ, Trinchieri G, Pardo-Manuel de Villena F, Yewdell JW, Rehermann B. 2017. Wild Mouse Gut Microbiota Promotes Host Fitness and Improves Disease Resistance. Cell 171:1015-1028.e13.

Other interesting stories:

Phage cocktail can eliminate pathogen with minimal collateral damage

Preventive probiotics given with antibiotics can help keep C. diff away

Early exposure to dust and bacteria linked with less immune response to stress

Viruses that help wasps parasitize caterpillars also inhibit plant defenses

Only one microbe species can live in extremely acidic, almost boiling lake

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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Episode outline:

BacterioFiles 336 - Phages Fortify Friendly Fighters

Neutrophil captures Pseudomonas
aeruginosa cells
By Paulo Henrique Orlandi Mourao,
CC BY-SA 3.0

This episode: Phage therapy can work very well when combined with an effective immune response from the host!

Download Episode (12.9 MB, 14.1 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Gammapapillomavirus 8

News item about "nightmare bacteria"

Journal Paper:
Roach DR, Leung CY, Henry M, Morello E, Singh D, Di Santo JP, Weitz JS, Debarbieux L. 2017. Synergy between the Host Immune System and Bacteriophage Is Essential for Successful Phage Therapy against an Acute Respiratory Pathogen. Cell Host Microbe 22:38-47.e4.

Other interesting stories:

Bacteria make antibacterial silver nanoparticles (paper)

Bacteria produce chemical that could enhance effectiveness of penicillin

Engineering yeast to produce valuable complex chemicals

Specific types of gut microbes affect cancer treatment effectiveness

Microbe-produced enzymes could help clean oil spills

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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Episode outline:

BacterioFiles 327 - Microbe Metabolite Meliorates Malaise

Influenza virus particles

This episode: Gut microbes in mice break down plant foods and produce molecules that stimulate the immune system to resist influenza!

Thanks to Drs. Ashley Steed and Thaddeus Stappenbeck for their contributions!
Download Episode (9 MB, 9.8 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Bougainvillea chlorotic vein banding virus

News item

Journal Paper:
Steed AL, Christophi GP, Kaiko GE, Sun L, Goodwin VM, Jain U, Esaulova E, Artyomov MN, Morales DJ, Holtzman MJ, Boon ACM, Lenschow DJ, Stappenbeck TS. 2017. The microbial metabolite desaminotyrosine protects from influenza through type I interferon. Science 357:498–502.

Other interesting stories:

Nanobots with propellers modeled after bacterial flagella

Embedding useful bacteria into "ink" used to print 3D structures

Controlling behavior of individual bacteria using a computer

Exercise alone can affect microbiota

Microbes in ISS are similar to microbes in Earth homes

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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Episode outline:

BacterioFiles 294 - Bacteria Benefit Bad Burns

Lactobacillus plantarum colonies
Donald Breakwell et al. 2007. 

This episode: Probiotic bacteria prevent deadly infections in mice with serious burns!

Download Episode (6.3 MB, 6.92 minutes)

Show notes:
Journal Paper:
Argenta A, Satish L, Gallo P, Liu F, Kathju S. 2016. Local Application of Probiotic Bacteria Prophylaxes against Sepsis and Death Resulting from Burn Wound Infection. PLOS ONE 11:e0165294.

Other interesting stories:

Bacteria can help cotton plants tolerate salt (paper)

Fiber stops microbes from eating protective gut mucus

Potential new antibiotics predicted and discovered in human microbes

Bacteria communicate to work together against viruses

Root bacteria help protect plants against arsenic and infections

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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BacterioFiles 287 - Producing Potent Pathogen Prophylaxes

Streptococcus pneumoniae
Credit: CDC/M.S. Mitchell

This episode: Polymer-coated bacteria make really good vaccines!

Download Episode (9.2 MB, 10 minutes)

Show notes:
News item

Journal Paper:
Li Y, Beitelshees M, Fang L, Hill A, Ahmadi MK, Chen M, Davidson BA, Knight P, Smith RJ, Andreadis ST, Hakansson AP, Jones CH, Pfeifer BA. 2016. In situ pneumococcal vaccine production and delivery through a hybrid biological-biomaterial vector. Sci Adv 2:e1600264.

Other interesting stories:

Fiber stops microbes from eating protective gut mucus

Potential new antibiotics predicted and discovered in human microbes

Bacteria communicate to work together against viruses

Root bacteria help protect plants against arsenic and infections

Fungus helps plants defend themselves against roundworms

Post questions or comments here or email to bacteriofiles@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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